1. Field
This invention relates to gloves worn for weight lifting activities.
2. State of the Art
A number of prior art gloves disclose flaps used in various capacities. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,852,779, issued to E. W. Roessler, shows a glove having a stretchable strap attached to the back of the glove which is designed to wrap around the outside of a closed hand which grasps a golf club or similar sports paraphenalia. The object of that invention is to provide a method of maintaining the alignment of the club during the course of the swing. This is accomplished by preventing the wearer's natural tendency to release the grip on the club shaft by the directing hand. However, this patent does not disclose or suggest a flap designed to hold substantial weights.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,105,972, issued to J. A. Christopher, discloses another stretchable strap. Although this patent differs from the 779 patent in that the flap is attached to the wearer's palm, the object thereof is exactly the same, i.e. to secure the wearer's grasp to the handle of a golf club. The 972 and the 779 patents are unable to bear substantial weight on the flaps because they are made of a stretchable material.
Gloves that are capable of holding weights are also known in the art. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,097, issued to L. Schwartz, discloses a glove onto which a number of pockets are sewn. Small weights are inserted into these pockets for use during an aerobic-type exercise. Such gloves are incapable, however, of assisting the wearer in lifting heavy weights, nor is such suggested or taught by the 097 patent.